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The last time I saw Denzel Washington, he was playing a nomadic crypto-Christian, surviving in the dystopian bummer The Book of Eli. It was a little off-putting. "Come on, Denzel" I wanted to yell at the screen. "Drop the religious shtick and unleash the kick-ass!" Thankfully, Vulture reports that Washington will soon be getting back to what he does best. The action star is currently in talks to star in Safe House, an original spy thriller from Universal, based on the script from Us Weekly editor David Guggenheim that triggered a bidding war between the studios last winter.
The film will center on a young CIA agent who is forced to go on the run in South Africa with a newly arrived prisoner (Washington) when their safe house, thought to be a secure location, comes under attack. The role of the American agent has not yet been cast, although Deadline reports that Chris Pine (with whom Washington just wrapped shooting the Tony Scott-directed drama Unstoppable) had at one time been considered for the part.
The timing of this news is not insignificant: Vulture speculates that this deal is in large part a play by the William Morris Endeavor agency to hold onto Washington, whose longtime superstar agent, Ed Limato, passed away this weekend from lung disease. WME co-CEOs Ari Emmanuel (brother of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel and the basis for Entourage's Ari Gold personality) and Patrick Whitesell have reportedly been working overtime to find another action vehicle for Washington, who typically commands around $20 million dollars for a big studio movie. So it looks like Washington will be staying with WME… for now.
Safe House is being produced by Scott Stuber (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) with newcomer Daniel Espinosa (Snabba Cash) directing. Hopefully that means a departure of sorts from the typical Tony Scott fare (Man On Fire, Deja Vu, The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3) that Washington has churned out in the last few years. Although I'm as happy as the next guy to see Denzel kicking ass in another good-not-great action movie, it would be nice to see him do something just a little bit different. Plot-wise, Safe House doesn't leave me terribly optimistic, but perhaps direction from someone not named Tony Scott will mean a fresh start for the actor. Plus, if Washington's performance as the film's villain is anywhere near as powerful as in American Gangster or Training Day (for which he won an Oscar), Safe House will be a movie worth watching.

Iron Man 2 Jon Favreau’s much-anticipated follow-up to his breakthrough 2008 blockbuster is less a comic book flick than it is a superhero version of Arthur the Oscar-nominated 1981 comedy that starred Dudley Moore as a drunken wise-cracking dilettante. In his second turn as Tony Stark Robert Downey Jr. recasts the billionaire inventor as the Dean Martin of industrialists strutting from one star-studded event to another on a bacchanalian victory tour dishing out choice one-liners and stirring up minor controversies for his exasperated babysitters Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and James "Rhodey" Rhodes (Don Cheadle) to quell. Whether gloating about his achievements at a defense industry expo upbraiding Senators during a congressional hearing or getting wasted and donning his armored powersuit to play DJ at his birthday party there's no telling what kind of madcap mischief Tony Stark will get himself into next!
The Tony Stark Comedy Tour for what it’s worth is a supremely entertaining ride (credit screenwriter Justin Theroux at the very least with crafting the genre’s most quotable film of all time) but I’m fairly certain Iron Man 2 is supposed to be an action film not the Marvel Follies Variety Show. Surely there must be a supervillain lurking in the shadows a frighteningly powerful menace preparing to unleash its destructive might upon the world?
There is — well kind of. The primary antagonist of Iron Man 2 Mickey Rourke's hulking Ivan Vanko (aka Whiplash) is certainly a fearsome beast baring his blinged-out grill and electrified tentacles but he gets all of five minutes of meaningful screen time in the sequel — hardly enough to establish him as a worthy foe for the great Iron Man. Perhaps producers found Rourke’s chosen dialect learned from John Malkovich's Rounders School of Exaggerated Russian Accents (“I vant my bort!” he furiously declares when separated from his pet parrot) to be less compelling in post-production.
More likely they became enamored with Sam Rockwell in the role of Justin Hammer Stark’s resentful business rival and Whiplash’s principal financial backer. It’s certainly understandable. Exuding the hubris and insecurity of a sardonic Mark Cuban (but capable of amusing us with more than just an underachieving basketball team) his performance is easily the best of the film surpassing even that of the great Downey. (Which makes perfect fodder for conspiracy theorists who wonder why Rockwell was the only member of the main cast not to get his own poster.)
The only problem is Rockwell’s Hammer is a venture capitalist not a comic book supervillain and every second he spends on the screen — as enjoyable as it is — is a second that could have been devoted to dimensionalizing Rourke’s character or crafting a badly-needed action sequence to enliven the talky second act.
It’s little wonder then that Stark continues with his feckless self-destructive ways unconcerned with the threat posed by the Hammer/Whiplash collaboration. He's got bigger problems to worry about — namely his inability to find a suitable replacement for palladium the substance inside the Arc Reactor that powers both his suit and his heart and which also happens to be slowly killing him.
Thankfully Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. arrive at his compound to stage a kind of intervention bearing a powerful dual-pronged Deus Ex Machina device that instantly wrests our hero from his para-suicidal stupor — just in time to build the upgraded powersuit he’ll need to thwart the army of powerful robot drones that Whiplash is about to let loose upon on the unsuspecting citizens of Queens New York. Whew! Favreau steps up the action and delivers a suitably big finish but don't blink when Iron Man and Whiplash meet on the battlefield because you might just miss it.
Given that Iron Man 2’s director and writer have both spent the bulk of their movie careers employed as actors it comes as little surprise that they chose to focus the action on Downey and Rockwell as the two rank head and shoulders above the rest of the cast. I just wish they found room in between the one-liners for a few more explosions.

In the summer of 1977 disgraced former President Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) sat down with British TV talk show host and interviewer David Frost (Michael Sheen) for a series of interviews that Nixon hoped would resuscitate his Watergate-tarnished image and Frost hoped would lift his own career to another level. While it made for good TV at the time it certainly didn’t seem likely fodder for a hit Broadway play and now a major motion picture. Peter Morgan (The Queen) wrote the play and adapted it for the screen turning it into a riveting cat-and-mouse game between these two made-for-television adversaries. Director Ron Howard emphasizes the behind the scenes machinations and all the negotiations between both camps. The off-camera material is priceless based in large part on speculative research. Whatever the final truth of the story the film gains its real power from it’s the telling. Ron Howard turns to the two original stage stars of Frost/Nixon -- a wise casting decision that almost never happens in Hollywood. It’s true everyone including Warren Beatty reportedly wanted to play Nixon but it’s hard to imagine anyone doing a better job than Langella in recreating his Tony-winning interpretation of the infamous Tricky Dick. He has all of Nixon’s mannerisms vulnerabilities and caginess down pat. Sheen certainly captures the confident nature of Frost but also his insecurities and the realization that this whole enterprise is one big roll of the dice. And two actors work in perfect concert with one another. Supporting roles are well played including standouts Kevin Bacon as Nixon’s trusted Chief of Staff Jack Brennan and a hilarious Toby Jones aping the inimitable book agent Swifty Lazar. As key Frost aides and researchers Oliver Platt and Sam Rockwell do a nice job as kind of the Greek chorus to the situation. On the surface Ron Howard -- better known for his large scale Hollywood productions like The Da Vinci Code and Apollo 13 -- doesn’t seem the right fit for this smaller scale drama but his approach transfers what could have been a flat Broadway screen into a highly cinematic and stimulating two hours. He captures the rhythms of this chess match perfectly and chooses camera angles that catch the sweat behind the cool facades of his two principals. Special mention should go to the beautiful nuanced work of his cinematographer Salvatore Totino. Howard is such a gifted filmmaker he makes it all seem effortless easily coaxing two equally superb performances from Langella and Sheen. Frost/Nixon is a first class achievement.

Well, two episodes into season five, Vince’s (Adrian Grenier) career has pretty much hit its lowest point; he’s worse off now than when he was doing those Mentos commercials!
I mean, it's pretty safe to assume he’ll ascend once again in the coming episodes, but Vinnie’s currently in "movie jail," as Ari (Jeremy Piven) puts it--and frankly, it’s nice to see Entourage’s impervious golden boy step aside, however briefly, and make room for others to shine.
And with the way this season is going so far, it seems like Eric’s (Kevin Connolly) career, not Vince’s, might be the one Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) should latch onto.
Eric appears to be on the cusp of signing the two screenwriters (guest stars Lukas Haas and Giovanni Ribisi, who are superb and will be back) behind the script that is of great interest to him and Vince and of zero interest to Ari.
This would bring E’s client roster up to four and certainly help boost the legitimacy of his talent-management co. But I digress to speculate about future episodes.
This one was mostly about Vince stuck in the unfamiliar territory of not getting what he wants--be it the onetime virginal singer Justine Chapin (Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester), who naturally winds up with Vince by episode’s end, or the movie role.
Ari breaks the latter news to Vince in a rare moment of sheer honesty, telling him that Medellin was awful and he was awful in it and that essentially there’s not yet a reason to believe that he can act. Ouch.
And just when you thought your hatred for Ari had peaked, he redeems himself with a human side!
But Vince, even more uncharacteristically, tells Ari that he’s ready to play "the game" and sell himself to skeptical studios and producers--whatever it takes. Good for him, but he’s got some serious selling to do.
Things are actually worse for Drama (Kevin Dillon), who after a fit of paranoia-dialing his French girlfriend Jacqueline to see if she’s out cheating on him, is promptly dumped. Ouch again--just one big ouch for the Chase brothers in this one!
Cameo-wise, Entourage exec producer/chief inspiration Mark Wahlberg had a solid two-minuter, while Tony Bennett probably should’ve stuck to singing in his scene.

It can’t just ALL be about a boy wizard named Harry Potter. There have to be other fantasy-driven stories grounded in reality that are just as exciting. And so there is: The Spiderwick Chronicles a series of short books by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black which tells us about the magical creatures who live around us but who remain invisible so we humans won’t freak out. Probably a wise choice for most but there are a few who want to see the creatures. One such person is Arthur Spiderwick (David Strathairn) a turn-of-the-century naturalist who has witnessed the likes of sprites goblins hobgoblins ogres and trolls at work. He has documented their secrets and habits in his Field Guide--a book that if placed in the wrong hands could make some fantastical beast maliciously omnipotent. Jump ahead some 80 years when we meet Spiderwick’s descendents the Grace family who have moved into his dilapidated house in the woods. Newly divorced mom Helen (Mary-Louise Parker) has uprooted her kids--teenage Mallory (Sarah Bolger) and twins Jared and Simon (both Freddie Highmore)--to start a new life with Jared being the one protesting the loudest. That is until he finds Spiderwick’s field guide and quite literally opens Pandora’s box giving evil ogre Mulgarath (Nick Nolte) who has desperately wanted the book since its inception the window of opportunity he’s been waiting for. The Grace kids have to band together--with a few otherworldly allies of course--to protect the book at all costs. Although Highmore (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) struggles at times with the American accent the young British lad continues to prove his worthiness in the acting department--and joins the ranks of playing twins onscreen that dates back to Patty Duke on The Patty Duke Show (yes they were just cousins but they were identical cousins). Highmore does a nice job distinguishing between the two boys but he seems to have the most fun playing Jared. And rightly so since Jared is the true hero of the story. He is deeply wounded by his parents’ divorce blaming his mother for it all but in discovering this magical and dangerous world that goes way beyond his personal problems he quickly snaps to it. Bolger (In America) too takes her clichéd older-sister-who-knows-everything role and freshens it up adding a fierce determination to protect her family--with an expressive face that makes her very watchable. The adult cast isn’t nearly as important but they all fit in nicely especially Joan Plowright as Great Aunt Lucinda Spiderwick’s 80-something daughter who saw her father taken away by sylphs the keepers of the faeries’ secrets when she was 6 and has been trying to explain it ever since. Then there are the voices of some of the creatures the Graces meet including Martin Short as the ever-faithful house brownie Thimbletack; Seth Rogen as the hobgoblin Hogsqueal a piggish and friendly fellow whose spit in the eye gives you the Sight; and Nolte as the horrible villainous Mulgarath. OK all those who believe in faeries raise your hand! The Spiderwick Chronicles is just the kind of story that gets an imaginative kid to run out to the garden to start looking for sprites and director Mark Waters inherently understands this. Better known for his comedies such as Mean Girls and Freaky Friday Waters nonetheless grabs hold of the Spiderwick’s mythology and firmly plants it in reality with normal modern kids encountering a whole magical realm. Taking from the illustrations of co-author Tony DiTerlizzi Waters also gives us new versions of magical creatures we’ve read about for ages. Goblins for example look like giant frogs and act like attack dogs in this film as opposed to the more civilized view of them in the Harry Potter books--and goblins in Spiderwick can be killed by tomato sauce which melts them. Nice touch. Trolls too aren’t great big lumbering fellows but more dinosaur-like in Spiderwick. And let’s just say ogre Mulgarath looks nothing like Shrek but more so a devilish creature with yellow eyes and great big horns. Spiderwick is indeed scary at times maybe too scary for the younger kids but the action sequences and chase scenes are thrilling enough to keep everyone else’s attention.

Adapted from a story by Mystic River author Dennis Lehane Gone Baby Gone refers to the disappearance of children. It’s a grim story though one of redemption and is quite intricate. The story follows a pair of Boston private detectives Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan) as they go looking for a local 4-year-old girl who has been abducted. Patrick and Angie are hired by the family to help the police find her—before it’s too late. There’s also brooding detective Remy (Ed Harris) and inveterate police captain Doyle (Morgan Freeman) who don’t take kindly to the P.I.s meddling. But it seems the girl’s drug-addicted mother Helene (Amy Ryan) has inadvertently put her daughter in some serious danger. Numerous shady characters burrow up to lend guidance and a nasty environment putting a face on Boston’s criminal underbelly. But Patrick is determined to find this little girl—and when a money-drop for the kidnapped tot goes awry he won’t let it go. And that is his downfall. Casey Affleck gives a truly memorable performance. His calm demeanor almost shocks at times when it seems his feathers should presumably be more ruffled. He speaks in even tones without emotion even as a hardened street detective with community roots. Casey’s ease conveys naturalism but is possibly too light to carry the movie’s intrigue and heaviness. Michelle Monaghan delivers a pivotal sobering turn as Casey's partner and girlfriend after playing sweet with Ben Stiller in The Heartbreak Kid. Her Angie is a co-equal who adds ideas and emotional balance. Amy Ryan a Tony-winning stage actress is a fun mess as Helene stuck in a nasty substance abuse pattern. Helene is so unlikeable in fact even the criminals think she doesn’t deserve her daughter. Ed Harris adds another intense role to his resume as a flawed detective who we don’t completely trust invoking the same rage he displayed in his shivering turn in A History of Violence. Morgan Freeman’s movie career built on dignified wise roles is subverted here—and he plays it pitch perfect. And John Ashton (Beverly Hills Cop's Detective Taggert) does a nice turn as Remy’s hardened partner. As a first-time director Ben Affleck does an admirable job. Much of Gone Baby Gone’s charm comes from the director’s ties to his hometown. He captures a certain vibe from Boston’s seedy side much like The Departed did. The Dorchester neighborhood setting adds to the blue-collar grit sometimes seeming oddly aloof and plastic. Moody scenes move quickly almost too confidently. It flits around kinetically during some action sequences but then lapses into old-school dreariness creating a weird music-video pace including a Silence of the Lambs-like psychedelic murder sequence. But it’s the script co-written by Ben that really gets you. Gone Baby Gone fixates on some underwhelming dialogue (mostly involving Casey Affleck)--but then the film really packs a one-two punch at the end. It will leave you reeling. Ben may have finally found his niche.

Michael (Zach Braff) is 29 and living the dream. He’s got the perfect girlfriend Jenna (Jacinda Barrett) a secure architecture job and a solid support system from his buddies (Casey Affleck Eric Christian Olsen Michael Weston). But when the ramifications of Jenna’s pregnancy begin to set in--“no more surprises ” as he puts it--life is a dream no longer. While in the beginning stages of his early-midlife crisis at peak vulnerability Michael comes upon a very willing and eager college girl Kim (Rachel Bilson) and winds up doing something spontaneous for the first time in forever: Kim. As Michael tries to explain to Jenna what may or may not have transpired on that fateful night her parents (Blythe Danner and Tom Wilkinson) are going through another rough patch in their old decrepit marriage and his friends are tangled up in yuppie blues. It seems no one is ready for his or her last kiss. Ensemble films are generally well acted but Last Kiss’ cast might be Oscar-good. Braff the centerpiece will predictably get flak simply because he’s the ‘It’ dude du jour but don’t hate him just ‘cause everyone likes him. He shows his range more than ever and still maintains his relatability even though he’s out of his career-sustaining element of Mr. Nice/Sensitive Guy. “Voice of a generation” tags are neither accurate nor fair; simply “capable actor” will do. Barrett (Poseidon and yes The Real World!) has good chemistry with Braff and even better emotional sensibilities. She goes loud to soft on a dime--emotionally and decibel-wise--as though she’s been through this nightmare before; let’s hope not! Bilson (The O.C.) makes a very strong feature-film debut although she is there more to serve as the impetus for emotion than to emote herself. The best performances come from Wilkinson the most underemployed actor in the world and Danner. The very embodiment of the devolution of love into ennui they are believable and Danner for her amazing histrionics is deserving of serious (supporting) award consideration.
No this is not Garden State 2 and no Braff did not direct or write. In fact the only true similarity Kiss bears to State is its soundtrack in which Braff did have a hand. Instead it was another actor/director Tony Goldwyn (Ghost: actor; A Walk on the Moon: director) at the helm. Goldwyn’s best ability seems to lie with the high-drama scenes in that no scene turns maudlin on his watch. His style contains a bit of Robert Altman jazz which set against such a superb ensemble cast gives each of the many characters a turn in the crisis carousel: each character’s dilemma has a different distinctive pitch. But writer Paul Haggis (Million Dollar Baby Crash)--who only appears to have written every past current and future movie--gives the film that extra mustard. Haggis manipulates us with high tension but unlike others who’ve come close to his level it’s all always palpable if not always completely plausible. Throw in some of his incredible dialogue and it’s easy to see why he’s been in such high demand since 1977 when he wrote for The Love Boat.

Pilot Frank "Shut 'Em Down" Towns (Dennis Quaid) arrives in Mongolia to close down an unprosperous oil rig and fly the disgruntled crew home. Along for the ride are his partner A.J. (Tyrese) the oil company's fetching but feisty female foreman (Miranda Otto) the company man (Hugh Laurie) assorted grease monkeys and one very odd hitchhiker (Giovanni Ribisi). Townes foolishly decides to fly into a sandstorm instead of turning back resulting in a forced landing that has them stranded in the middle of the Gobi desert with little hope of rescue. Moviegoers will likely be comparing the film not to the original but to TV's similar plane crash story Lost. Like Lost there's a reluctant leader a spunky babe a wise Arabic guy and lots of life-or-death tension. (Sorry no polar bears). Once they realize no rescue is coming they concoct a risky plan to get home although not everyone's sold on the idea.
Dennis Quaid is his usual roguish self as Towns a crusty arrogant but still charming guy who might be Harrison Ford's brother from Six Days Seven Nights. Heavy lifting isn't required by the actors in a film like this but indie fave Giovanni Ribisi turns in a nicely twitchy performance as Elliott the fellow who turns out to be strangely important to their survival. Miranda Otto (Eowyn from The Lord of the Rings films) is once again believably self-sufficient and is spared any romantic overtures from her fellow survivors. Hugh Laurie's character is at first merely "the suit " but gradually pitches in with the blue-collar workers. Tony Curran and Tyrese buddy up as they pull together to salvage what they can from the wrecked plane. As the chef Jacob Vargas supplies much of the comedy while desert know-how comes from Kevork Malikyan.
John Moore who also directed the rah-rah actioner Behind Enemy Lines clearly likes stories about men in desperate circumstances leavened by unlikely bonding and humor. The Gobi desert never looked more beautiful or more ominous with its mysteriously shifting sand. The plane crash might not be able to rival The Day After Tomorrow's tornados or jaw-dropping tidal wave but is still horrifyingly riveting. If you can't predict every beat of the finale however you clearly haven't seen enough movies.

L.A. Critics go Sideways
The Los Angeles Film Critics Association named Sideways, about two men searching for love in California's wine country, as the year's best film and Clint Eastwood's female boxing movie Million Dollar Baby as the runner-up, Reuters reports. Sideways also got nods for best director Alexander Payne, supporting actress Virginia Madsen and supporting actor Thomas Haden Church. Britain's Imelda Staunton was named best actress for her portrayal as an abortionist in Vera Drake and Irish actor Liam Neeson was handed the best actor honor for playing U.S. sex researcher Dr. Alfred Kinsey in Kinsey. House of Flying Daggers was named best foreign language film, while The Incredibles won for best animated film. Born into Brothels edged out director Michael Moore's controversial Fahrenheit 9/11 as the Los Angeles critics' best documentary. The Los Angeles Film Critics Association will honor the winners of their 30th annual awards at a dinner on January 13.
AFI picks Aviator, Incredibles
The American Film Institute also announced their list of 2004's Top 10 movies, including Martin Scorsese's Howard Hughes biopic The Aviator and the smash animated hit The Incredibles, The Associated Press reports. Other on the list included the sequel Spider-Man 2; Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby; quirky romances Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Sideways; football drama Friday Night Lights; the drug-smuggling drama Maria Full of Grace; and the sexuality researcher Alfred Kinsey biopic Kinsey. The institute's top 10 television programs of the year were HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm, Deadwood, The Sopranos and Something the Lord Made, ABC's Desperate Housewives and Lost, FX's Nip/Tuck and The Shield, Fox's Arrested Development and Comedy Central's South Park.
Jacko's fingerprints found on porno mag
Citing unidentified sources, the Santa Barbara News-Press reported Saturday that fingerprints belonging to both Michael Jackson and the boy accusing him of child molestation were found on pornographic magazines seized from the singer's Neverland ranch last year. According to AP, prosecutors could argue the fingerprints were proof Jackson showed the boy pornographic literature before molesting him. But if the reported evidence is admitted during Jackson's trial, the defense could question whether the entertainer knew the boy had been looking through the porn stash. According to News-Press, the boy and his brother often visited Neverland when Jackson wasn't home. Jackson, 46, has pleaded not guilty to charges of child molestation, conspiracy and administering an intoxicating agent, alcohol, to his alleged victim.
Anderson gets Fox sitcom
Former Baywatch hottie Pamela Anderson has signed on for a Fox sitcom about a woman who's trying to change her life and break her habit of falling for less-than-responsible men, Reuters reports. Before even reading a completed script, the network committed to six episodes of the project from writer-producer Steven Levitan, who created NBC's Just Shoot Me.
TV movie to depict Ovitz and Eisner's relationship
Showtime writer Frederic Raphael is developing Two Blind Mikes, a TV movie about the bitter business relationship between Hollywood heavyweights Michael Eisner and Michael Ovitz, Variety reports. Disney chief executive Eisner hired agent-to-the-stars Ovitz as the Mouse House's president in 1994 but his tenure ended after a trouble-plagued 14-month period. A shareholders' lawsuit, now being heard, contends Disney's board was negligent in hiring Ovitz to a lucrative deal and negligent again when it agreed to a $140 million package settlement to oust him in Dec. 1995. Casting for the film and an air date were not announced.
Madame Tussaud's nativity tableau vandalized
A controversial nativity scene at Madame Tussaud's waxwork museum in London featuring England soccer captain David Beckham as Joseph and his pop star wife "Posh Spice" Victoria as the Virgin Mary was attacked Sunday, Reuters reports. The wax tableau, which depicts pop star Kylie Minogue hovering above the crib as an angel, also features Tony Blair, George W. Bush and the Duke of Edinburgh as The Three Wise Men and Samuel L. Jackson, Hugh Grant and Graham Norton as the shepherds. A spokeswoman for Madame Tussaud's said a protester had pushed down the Posh and Beckham wax figures but added, "The baby Jesus is fine." The piece was intended as a tongue-in-cheek way of bringing the nativity to a wider audience but has angered Anglicans, Catholics and Presbyterians.

The Writers Guild of America, west and East announced nominations for outstanding achievement in writing for the screen, television and radio during the 2003 season.
Nominees in the original category went to independent art-house films, including Gurinder Chadha, Paul Mayeda Berges and Guljit Bindra for Fox Searchlight's Bend It Like Beckham; Steven Knight for Miramax's Dirty Pretty Things; and Tom McCarthy for Miramax's The Station Agent.
Nominees for the adapted category went mostly high-profile releases, including Anthony Minghella for Miramax's Cold Mountain; Frances Walsh &amp; Philippa Boyens &amp; Peter Jackson for New Line's The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King; and Gary Ross for Universal's Seabiscuit.
WGA noms are closely tracked as an indicator of Academy Awards sentiment. Guild winners in the original screenplay category have matched Oscar choices in 11 years over the past 21 while the WGA adapted screenplay award has matched with the Oscar winner in 14 years during the same period.
The films eligible for Writers Guild Awards were released in the year 2003 under the jurisdiction of Writers Guild of America, East and west and affiliate guilds in Australia, Canada, French Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, and New Zealand.
In television, the nominated scripts were originally broadcast between December 1, 2002, and November 30, 2003.
The winners will be announced Saturday, February 21, 2004, at the 56th Annual Writers Guild Awards ceremonies on both coasts.
The Writers Guild of America, west ceremonies will be held in Los Angeles at the Century Plaza Hotel, and the Writers Guild of America, East ceremonies will be held in New York at The Pierre Hotel.
SCREEN NOMINEES
Original Screenplay
BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM, Written by Gurinder Chadha and Paul Mayeda Berges and Guljit Bindra, Fox Searchlight Pictures
DIRTY PRETTY THINGS, Written by Steven Knight, Miramax Films
IN AMERICA, Written by Jim Sheridan &amp; Naomi Sheridan &amp; Kirsten Sheridan, Fox Searchlight Pictures
LOST IN TRANSLATION, Written by Sofia Coppola, Focus Features
THE STATION AGENT, Written by Tom McCarthy, Miramax Films
Adapted Screenplay
AMERICAN SPLENDOR, Written by Robert Pulcini &amp; Shari Springer Berman, Based on the Comic Book Series by Harvey Pekar and the Novel by Harvey Pekar and Joyce Brabner, HBO Films/Fine Line Features
COLD MOUNTAIN, Screenplay by Anthony Minghella, Based on the Novel by Charles Frazier, Miramax Films
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING, Screenplay by Fran Walsh &amp; Philippa Boyens &amp; Peter Jackson, Based on the Novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, New Line Cinema
MYSTIC RIVER, Screenplay by Brian Helgeland, Based on the Novel by Dennis Lehane, Warner Bros. Pictures
SEABISCUIT, Screenplay by Gary Ross, Based on the Book by Laura Hillenbrand, Universal Pictures
TELEVISION NOMINEES
Episodic Drama --any length--one airing time
"ABOMINATION (Law &amp; Order: SVU), Written by Michele Fazekas &amp; Tara Butters; NBC
"BOUNTY (Law &amp; Order), Written by Michael S. Chernuchin; NBC
"DISASTER RELIEF (The West Wing), Teleplay by Alexa Junge, Story by Alexa Junge &amp; Lauren Schmidt; NBC
"LOSS (Law &amp; Order: SVU), Written by Michele Fazekas &amp; Tara Butters; NBC
"PILOT (The O.C.), Written by Josh Schwartz; Fox
"7:00 P.M. -- 8:00 P.M. (24), Written by Evan Katz; Fox
Episodic Comedy--any length--one airing time
"DAY CARE" (Malcolm in the Middle), Written by Gary Murphy &amp; Neil Thompson; Fox
"MALCOLM FILMS REESE" (Malcolm in the Middle), Written by Dan Kopelman; Fox
"NO SEX, PLEASE, WE'RE SKITTISH" (Frasier), Written by Bob Daily; NBC
"A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO SHOES" (Sex and the City), Written by Jenny Bicks; HBO
Original Long Form--over one hour--one or two parts, one or two airing times
AND STARRING PANCHO VILLA AS HIMSELF, Written by Larry Gelbart; HBO
Episode 1, "BEYOND THE SKY" and Episode 2, "JACOB AND JESSE" (Taken), Written by Leslie Bohem; USA
CAESAR, Written by Peter Pruce and Craig Warner; TNT
WILDER DAYS, Written by Jeff Stockwell; TNT
Adapted Long Form--over one hour--one or two parts, one or two airing times
NORMAL, Teleplay by Jane Anderson, Based on the play Looking for Normal by Jane Anderson; HBO
OUT OF THE ASHES, Teleplay by Anne Meredith, Based on the book I Was a Doctor in Auschwitz by Dr. Gisella Perl; Showtime
RUDY: THE RUDY GIULIANI STORY, Written by Stanley Weiser, Based on the book Rudy! by Wayne Barrett; USA
THE STRANGER BESIDE ME, Teleplay by Matthew McDuffie and Matthew Tabak, Based on the book by Ann Rule; USA
Animation--any length--one airing time
"THE DAD WHO KNEW TOO LITTLE" (The Simpsons), Written by Matt Selman; Fox
"MOE BABY BLUES" (The Simpsons), Written by J. Stewart Burns; Fox
MY MOTHER THE CARJACKER" (The Simpsons), Written by Michael Price; Fox
"REBORN TO BE WILD" (King of the Hill), Written by Tony Gama-Lobo &amp; Rebecca May; Fox
"RESCUE JET FUSION" (The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius), Written by Steven Banks; Nickelodeon
"THE STING" (Futurama), Written by Patric M. Verrone; Fox
Comedy/Variety--Music, Awards, Tributes -- Specials -- any length
THE KENNEDY CENTER HONORS, Written by George Stevens, Jr., Sara Lukinson and David Leaf; CBS
THE 75TH ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS, Written by Hal Kanter, Rita Cash, Buz Kohan, Special Material Written by Steve Martin, Beth Armogida, Dave Barry, Dave Boone, Andy Breckman, Jon Macks, Rita Rudner, Bruce Vilanch; ABC
Comedy/Variety--(including talk) Series
LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN, Written by Mike Sweeney, Chris Albers, Jose Arroyo, Andy Blitz, Kevin Dorff, Jonathan Glaser, Michael Gordon, Brian Kiley, Michael Koman, Brian McCann, Guy Nicolucci, Conan O'Brien, Andrew Secunda, Allison Silverman, Robert Smigel, Brian Stack, Andrew Weinberg; NBC
MAD TV, Writing supervised by Scott King, Written by Dick Blasucci, Lauren Dombrowski, Bryan Adams, Bruce McCoy, Michael Hitchcock, Steven Cragg, Chris Cluess, John Crane, Jennifer Joyce, Tami Sagher, David Salzman, Richard Talarico, Jim Wise, Kal Clarke, Sultan Pepper, Bill Kelley, Maiya Williams, Dino Stamatopoulos, Rick Najera, Brooks McBeth, Jason Kordelos, Michael McDonald, Stephnie Weir; FOX
PENN &amp; TELLER: BULLSHIT!, Written by Penn Jillette, Teller, David Wechter, John McLaughlin; Showtime
REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER, Written by Billy Martin, Scott Carter, David Feldman, Brian Jacobsmeyer, Jay Jaroch, Chris Kelly, Bill Maher, Ned Rice, Paul F. Tompkins; HBO
Daytime Serials
ALL MY CHILDREN, Written by Agnes Nixon, Megan McTavish, Gordon Rayfield, Anna Theresa Cascio, Frederick Johnson, Jeff Beldner, Janet Iacobuzio, Lisa Connor, Addie Walsh, Victor Miller, Mimi Leahey, Bettina F. Bradbury, John PiRoman, Karen Lewis, Amanda Robb, Rebecca Taylor, Christina Covino, David A. Levinson; ABC
ONE LIFE TO LIVE, Written by Josh Griffith, Michael Malone, Shelly Altman, Lorraine Broderick, Richard Backus, Ron Carlivati, Anna Theresa Cascio, David Colson, Leslie Nipkow, Michelle Poteet Lisanti, Becky Cole, James Fryman, Katherine Schock, Ginger Redmon, Daniel Griffin; ABC
Children's Script
"DON'T LOOK BACK" (Out There), Written by Willie Reale and Mark Palmer; PBS
FULL COURT MIRACLE, Written by Joel Silverman and Joel Kauffmann &amp; Donald C. Yost; Disney Channel
I WAS A TEENAGE FAUST, Written by Thom Eberhardt; Showtime
THE MALDONADO MIRACLE, Teleplay by Paul W. Cooper, Based upon the novel "The Maldonado Miracle" by Theodore Taylor; Showtime
Documentary - Current Events
"TRUTH, WAR AND CONSEQUENCES" (Frontline), Written by Martin Smith; PBS
"THE WAR BEHIND CLOSED DOORS" (Frontline), Written by Michael J. Kirk; PBS
Documentary - Other Than Current Events
BECOMING AMERICAN: THE CHINESE EXPERIENCE--BETWEEN TWO WORLDS (PART 2), Written by Thomas Lennon &amp; Mi Ling Tsui and Bill Moyers; PBS
"CYBER WAR!" (Frontline), Written by Michael J. Kirk; PBS
"THE ELEGANT UNIVERSE: THE STRING'S THE THING" (Nova), Written by Joseph McMaster; PBS
"THE ELEGANT UNIVERSE: WELCOME TO THE 11TH DIMENSION" (Nova), Written by Julia Cort &amp; Joseph McMaster, PBS
"THE MURDER OF EMMETT TILL" (The American Experience), Written by Marcia Smith, PBS
"SEABISCUIT" (The American Experience), Written by Michelle Ferrari; PBS
News - Regularly Scheduled, Bulletin or Breaking Report
"PASSING OF MUSIC LEGENDS" (CBS News Sunday Morning), Written by Robert Mank;
"CBS SHOWDOWN WITH SADDAM" (CBS News), Written by John Craig Wilson; CBS
News - Analysis, Feature, or Commentary
"BAPTISM BY FIRE" (60 Minutes), Written by Barbara Dury &amp; Morley Safer; CBS
"WALL STREET" (NOW with Bill Moyers), Written by Michael Winship &amp; Bill Moyers; PBS
RADIO NOMINEES
Documentary
AUTISM: SHADES OF GRAY, Written by Julia Kathan; ABC News Radio
News--Regularly Scheduled
AFTERNOON DRIVE, Written by Bill Spadaro; 1010 WINS Radio
WORLD NEWS THIS WEEK, Written by Stuart H. Chamberlain, Jr.; ABC News Radio
News--Analysis, Feature or Commentary
REMEMBERING ED BLISS, Written by Mike Silverstein; ABC News Radio
THE ROAD TO LAUGHTER: A TRIBUTE TO BOB HOPE, Written by Steven Gosset; CBS Radio Network
On-Air Promotion (Radio or Television)
BUFFY/ENTERPRISE, Written by Eric Jacobson; CBS/UPN